The challenge

In 2008 the Western Australia government forced the Barbagallo Raceway to shut down and commence a demolition and complete rebuild of infrastructure to bring the V8 supercar  raceway into the 21^st century, upgrading it to international standards.

The project was well into the construction phase when Reseau received a call from the Project Manager about installing a phone system. However phones were only the beginning of what was needed.

Reseau quickly realised that project team had vastly under-estimated the challenge of delivering communications through a network that needed to support a huge media contingent, the specialist data security and communication needs of the race teams and buildings and garages spread across the raceway each needing their own lines for security reasons.

The challenge was to build the network to a looming and extremely tight race deadline relying on coordinating with other construction contractors, while the site was being built all around. At times Reseau teams needed to work with no electricity, which severely restricted communication.

The engagement brief

The project management team engaged Reseau to project manage the network construction, installation, upgrades and management from the raceway reconstruction to race day and beyond.

The Reseau process

1. Reseau broadly scoped and determined the network requirements for such a complex and large scale project and educated the project manager around the requirements
2. Reseau delivered an initial scope and assessment of the project teams needs with the flexibility to develop as the needs developed
3. As the raceway was being constructed, Reseau maintained constant contact with the project and construction teams, re-visiting project timelines as required. Tasks and activities needed to be grouped together
4. Team security was paramount. With individual race teams set up with their own network and technology consultants, Reseau constantly communicated to determine whether the network they installed was secure enough
5. Through close project management, constant communication, operating after-hours and on-demand, Reseau completed the set up, installation and checks before race day

Technical considerations

In project managing the installation Reseau deployed the following technologies and processes

1. Site wide MATV distribution design and solution for timing data redistribution
2. Site wide Cisco Network Solution encompassing optic fibre, wireless to Formula 1 standards
3. Segmentation of various network security zones to shield V8 racecar teams from live timing data to security, telephony
4. Site wide IP telephony solution providing communications for international race days, allowing teams to contact race control
5. Site wide Ethernet cabling design and implementation

What was unique about the Reseau solution?

Through careful project management and constant monitoring and review Reseau completed the installation with adequate time to check work well before race day. Race teams with their own specialist security teams were impressed with the security and speed the Reseau solution provided.